Technicopedia

[Blakbird]

Technicopedia

Hello everyone! I've finally decided to turn my LEGO Technic obsession into something useful. Well, more useful than it already is anyway.

I've started a new website which will not only catalog all of the Technic sites, but provide technical descriptions, pictures, and animations of all of the features. It is far from complete, and it will take me a long time to finish it, but I've posted the first version with all of the sets from 1977. Please take a look and tell me what you think! Constructive feedback is welcome.

[Ickelpete]

Great site *y* Blakbird

I hope you get time to finish it as you sure have a lot of sets to cover.

I remember scanning the web for such a site when I first came out of my dark ages and as a Technic fan I am sure this will be a valuable resource.

Keep up the good work

[Blakbird]

Great site *y* Blakbird

I hope you get time to finish it as you sure have a lot of sets to cover.

I remember scanning the web for such a site when I first came out of my dark ages and as a Technic fan I am sure this will be a valuable resource.

Keep up the good work

Thanks! It is easy to be motivated when you first get started, and harder as the project gets bigger and bigger. But this is something I have wanted to do for a long time, and I still get excited every time I take out an old set and think about all of its functions again. By the time I get to 8480 and 8880, each page is going to be really big!

Your story about looking for such a site is exactly why I am doing this. When I started with Technic, I remember thinking that I wanted to collect more of them, but had no hope (at the time) of getting ALL of them, so I wanted to know which ones I would like best. I could see images of all of them on Lugnet, but I couldn't really tell what they did. The functionality has always been the selling point of Technic for me. Eventually I actually did get all of them, so I am in a unique position to compare and contrast. When this site is complete, hopefully someone will be able to find out which helicopter (for example) they would most like to have based on all available information.

Incidentally, I am in the midst of preparing 1978 (854 and 855) and am almost done. They should be posted by the end of the weekend.

[Blakbird]

Update:

Sets from 1978, 1979, and 1980 are now posted.

[Holodoc]

Hi Blakbird!

Cool you had - and a lot of work, too.

I have some technic models and missed a particular Technic site so far.

Technicopedia

... and animations of all of the features. ...

Woohoo! I

[conductorjoe]

Looks nice-it's easy on the use and simple to figure out. *y*

You can find a database of Technic sets at Lugnet, and you can find lots of information and a parts reference at Technica, but if you want technical descriptions and pictures of each Technic set, along with a historical perspective, then you have come to the right place. It will take me a long time to complete everything on this site, so check back often to see what has been added, or check the revision history.

Sounds like you know what you're doing. Hope it works out great! I'll stick a link to it on my website ;-)

[Blakbird]

Looks nice-it's easy on the use and simple to figure out. *y*

Sounds like you know what you're doing. Hope it works out great! I'll stick a link to it on my website ;-)

Thank you for the kind words. I will try to keep everyone posted on my progress. 9 sets done, only a couple hundred to go! :-D

[Conchas]

Hi,

that's a great inittiative and a great job too!

Certainly deserved a reference and link at my TECHNIC Blog :-) .

www.TechnicBRICKs.blogspot.com

Please don't give up, now that you have started, and have a long run in front of you!

I also have made an Excel file with a timeline, set box photos and links for the most important LEGO released sets from TECHNIC, divided by categories. It is great, but didn't find a way to publish it...

Also realised on your great collection of TECHNIC sets. I have many of those, and an huge collection, but not so many! 8-�

I see you love the 8480, and I love the detail and functionality of 8479.

However the TECHNIC set, that most marked my LEGO grown, was the 8860. The last before my long Dark Age period (or Catalog age as I like to call it).

Off course this year I'm also too much happy with the new Bulldozer (8275) and its fully featured PF elements.

[Blakbird]

Hi,

that's a great inittiative and a great job too!

Certainly deserved a reference and link at my TECHNIC Blog :-) .

www.TechnicBRICKs.blogspot.com

Thank you for the reference. I read your site regularly as well.

Please don't give up, now that you have started, and have a long run in front of you!

I don't intend to give up, I am still having a lot of fun. My wife is even helping me with the pictures and by proofreading everything, which makes it much easier. She said that if I put her in the pictures with the LEGO, I could probably charge money for the site, but it is not that kind of site! :-D

I also have made an Excel file with a timeline, set box photos and links for the most important LEGO released sets from TECHNIC, divided by categories. It is great, but didn't find a way to publish it...

Also realised on your great collection of TECHNIC sets. I have many of those, and an huge collection, but not so many! 8-�

As far as I know, I have every Technic set. As I go along, maybe someone will mention one to me that I did not know existed.

I see you love the 8480, and I love the detail and functionality of 8479.

However the TECHNIC set, that most marked my LEGO grown, was the 8860. The last before my long Dark Age period (or Catalog age as I like to call it).

Yes, 8480 has always been my favorite, followed by 8485. I think I like these best partly because they are so detailed and complex, but also because they are so different than anything else Technic has done. 8479 is also amazing, and very unique.

I never had Technic as a child. Technic was very rare in the USA, so I did not get my first set, 8480, until I was an adult. I was into Space LEGO as a kid, and 924 was my favorite.

Off course this year I'm also too much happy with the new Bulldozer (8275) and its fully featured PF elements.

That is a great one. I have used up two sets of batteries already, and my son won't leave it alone!

Well, back to work on Technicopedia for me.

[Conchas]

Well, went to check and as I expected, verified you are not considering every set classified under TECNHIC theme at BricLink,

http://www.bricklink.com/catalogTree.asp?itemType=S

I also agree with you, because some of them doesn't look to fit into the TECHNIC "spirit", appart from using parts from the same parts subset.

Just wanted to know which was your criteria/source?

Verified, you didn't consider:

- Competition

- Micro Technic (just some sets from there)

- Minifig Packs (these may worth to consider in your listings. Just an opinion...)

- Robo Riders

- Speed Slammers

- Star Wars (not really into TECHNIC spirit, but since you are a fan of SW ;-) )

- Throwbot / Slizer

Generally speaking, accessories boxes and motor kits are not considered as well, and they migth worth at least to reference in some cases.

For instance:

- 5206 (Speed Computer)

- 880 (The funny 12V black motor)

- 8700 (Another well remembered motor kit)

- 872 (Also very interesting and remarkable gear blocks. A great innovation for the time)

- ...

Regards,

Edited November 22, 2007 by Conchas

[Blakbird]

Well, went to check and as I expected, verified you are not considering every set classified under TECNHIC theme at BricLink,

http://www.bricklink....asp?itemType=S

I also agree with you, because some of them doesn't look to fit into the TECHNIC "spirit", appart from using parts from the same parts subset.

Just wanted to know which was your criteria/source?

You are correct. In the early years, everything was "Technic", so there was no problem. In more recent years, the name has been put on some sets which use Technic parts, but which don't meet the criteria for Technic. So what are the criteria? I don't really know. Whatever my brain decides is Technic will be included, and whatever my brain decides is not, will not! In general, I don't intend to include the competition type sets or Bionicle.

The expansion packs (supplemental sets) are not listed, but I may add them later after I am done. Some of them, like 870, 872, and 880, contain parts, motors, or gearboxes which you can't get anywhere else. I may also add some of the really good models from the idea books. But for now I am concentrating on sets.

Star Wars is a tough one. I own all the Star Wars Technic sets, but I am torn as to whether or not to include them. Most of them don't really have any technical functions but are primarily static models, with the possible exception of the Destroyer Droid. We'll see how I feel about it when I get to that point.

I did intend to include all the Micro Technic, so if you see some listed which I don't have listed, please tell me which they are!

Minifig packs will probably be included at some point.

Thanks for looking so closely!

[Conchas]

Well, since you asked and taking a closer look at BrickLink listings, I found that missing set numbers at your listing might relate with LEGO reeditions or minor variations (since they are all from the same year).

Maybe in these cases you should also use the slash ('/') notation, like you did for the first 'Expert Builder' sets, which were released either in EU and US with different numbers.

So here they are:

1259 / 1268 / 3003

1260 / 3005

1257 / 3000

PS: Found now from Brickset, that they are not reeditions or variations, but promotional sets from the original one.

According to my previous investigations, you have also (really reeditions in this cases):

8460 (1995) / 8431 (2002) / 8438 (2003) - Pneumatic Crane Truck

8459 (1997) / 8464 (2001) / 8439 (2004) - Pneumatic Front-End Loader

8248 (1998) / 8463 (2001) - Forklift Truck

8417 (1998) / 8430 (2002) - Mag Wheel Master

8812 (1994) / 8429 (2002) - Aero Hawk II / Helicopter

And

8299 / 8250 - Search Sub (respectively sold with and without CD-ROM)

[Blakbird]

So here they are:

1259 / 1268 / 3003

1260 / 3005

1257 / 3000

According to my previous investigations, you have also (really reeditions in this cases):

8460 (1995) / 8431 (2002) / 8438 (2003) - Pneumatic Crane Truck

8459 (1997) / 8464 (2001) / 8439 (2004) - Pneumatic Front-End Loader

8248 (1998) / 8463 (2001) - Forklift Truck

8417 (1998) / 8430 (2002) - Mag Wheel Master

8812 (1994) / 8429 (2002) - Aero Hawk II / Helicopter

8299 / 8250 - Search Sub (respectively sold with and without CD-ROM)

Thanks for the research.

For the mini sets which have multiple numbers, I will probably use the slash "/" notation when I get to them.

For the sets which were re-released, I am listing them under the original number. But on the actual page for that set, I will discuss the other numbers.

The Search Sub will probably also use slash notation. Note that the Turbo Command set (8432/8428) also came either with or without a CD-ROM.

[Conchas]

Sorry for my opinion, but I think you should also add entries to the reedition set numbers, at your listing in the entry page.

This because the less informed users, may not know about these details and come looking for a specific set number, which they will not find.

It would be a pity if they leave the site without nothing ;-) .

[Blakbird]

Update:

==========

Photos of about 60 sets added and feature comparisons completed for categories:

Cranes

Bulldozers

Forklifts

Super cars

Go carts

Tractors

Helicopters

Motorcycles

Other

[5150 Lego]

Great web site! Please keep up the good work! Very usefull!

[Blakbird]

Update

Sets from 1981 have been listed including 8844, 8845, 8846, 8848, and 8859.

[dunamis]

Wow! This is incredible! Excellent work and brings back some memories from my childhood (late 70's early 80's). Love the site and I will visit frequently.

[Blakbird]

Update

Many more categories with feature comparisons added. Over a hundred new photos.

[Conchas]

Hi Eric,

found this infomation at an eBay auction for the 855 Mobile Crane, and thought you may like to add it at your website page about this model, to complement the information provided.

"It's a late version of the kit, with the additional parts to make the jib rest which was not on the original version. This is so the arm can be raised easily from the lowest position. The addendum to show this is on a separate sheet, later it was incorporated into the instructions. That makes this kit even rarer."

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...:MEWN:IT&ih=015

This a good example of a set that got some changes, while selling on the market by LEGO.

There are several other TECHNIC sets, which have been sold with different versions of some parts across time during their market live, or wich have their own curious story.

I know a few examples. Tell me if you want such kind of information.

Best regards,

Edited December 16, 2007 by Conchas

[Blakbird]

Hi Eric,

found this infomation at an eBay auction for the 855 Mobile Crane, and thought you may like to add it at your website page about this model, to complement the information provided.

"It's a late version of the kit, with the additional parts to make the jib rest which was not on the original version. This is so the arm can be raised easily from the lowest position. The addendum to show this is on a separate sheet, later it was incorporated into the instructions. That makes this kit even rarer."

This a good example of a set that got some changes, while selling on the market by LEGO.

There are several other TECHNIC sets, which have been sold with different versions of some parts across time during their market live, or wich have their own curious story.

I know a few examples. Tell me if you want such kind of information.

Best regards,

Very interesting trivia! I was not aware that a boom rest had been added to this model, but I do mention on my page that it is difficult to raise from the lowered position due to poor mechanical advantage. I'm not sure I would add the boom rest even if I had it, because it would mean that I could not put the boom all the way down.

Yes, I am interested in this type of data, although I don't know when I will have time to add it. You might notice on the 851 page that I mention another little bit of errata. The mechanism for lifting the implement was very weak and came apart a lot, but later instructions (like the ones on Peeron) actually changed the design to eliminate this problem. This also changed the parts list of the set. I have the older version.

Many early sets also had completely different instructions in the USA than they did in Europe. For instance, one version will show the parts needed for each step (like Technic still does today), but another version will not. Some of the early European instructions were on a fold-out poster instead of a book (like my 851).

[Conchas]

Great you found it interesting *sweet* .

Take the time you need, if you like to add any info like these.

Yes, it seems the older TECHNIC (in fact Expert Builder) sets, suffer from some weeknesses which were improved later. However that is not strange for the limited TECHNIC set of parts available at the time, and young TLG experience with them.

TECHNIC has evolved a lot since then! *y*

I won this 855 auction, so later i could send you a better scan of instructions addendum.

Another similar example is the 853/956 'Car Chassis'. I saw a similar addenda at another auction from the same seller, which I can't see anymore because I didn't bookmarked it.

However it did relate with strengthen stearing design, which breaks appart easily into early sets design.

I personally have 2 or more instructions for this set (maybe European and US. Need to check) where I remember to see some parts differences at steering construction. Maybe the same difference or even another one, since I don't have the addenda I saw in the auction (unless they are a later reprint with addenda incorporated).

Regarding other sets differences:

- I remember to see some months ago at another eBay auction for a 856/951 Bulldozer, a reference mentioning that one should be one of the first exemplars, because it included the trans-red round brick with Solid Stud, while most frequently they include the more modern Open Stud variant.

By chance I bought 3 of those 856, and all them have the Open Stud trans-red round brick :-( .

- Another set which got parts variation was the 8880 Super Car, whose steering arm I saw in different sets to be as:

- Technic, Steering Arm Large with Hub - Axle Connection (White)

- Technic, Steering Arm Large with Hub - Pin Connection (White)

- Technic, Steering Arm Large with Hub - Pin Connection (Light Gray)

and so naturally the inventory and included towbal parts changed between axle and pin versions.

- Pneumatic Crane Truck also got some parts changes. However in this case across the different set editons (8460 from 1965, 8431 from 2002 and 8438 from 2003).

In this case toothed half bushes were replaced by their correspondent smooth version at 2003 release.

The black TECHNIC Handle did appear just at 1995 release and removed later.

- Also believe the 8862 Backhoe were sold in two diffent versions. Very first sets with yellow top cylinder and later ones and more common, with black top cylinder version.

- Another curious thing happened with my most favorite old Car Chassis (8860).

6.5L shock absorbers where here introduced and used, however photos on the box show a more elementary design for the suspension, made of discrete parts (also at instructions cover).

Even more curious is to see both different solutions alternanting at consecutive instructions pages (see page 24, page 25 and then page 26 again...) *wacko* :-D .

Remember to see this odd issue, since my childhood at my own 8860 exemplar.

Never saw any 8860 exemplar with included suspension made of discrete parts, but allways with the 6.5L shock absorbers.

- The most recent I know is the 8420 Street Bike from 2005, which first exemplars were sold with 11.5L Shock Absorber in 'Dark Bluish Gray' and later ones with correspondent Yellow version.

As these, I believe several other examples occured.

Edited December 22, 2007 by Conchas

[Blakbird]

Update:

Universal sets from 1982 now added.

[Conchas]

Hi Eric,

just to let you know, that your Technicopedia http: address at your signature, doesn't work.

It looks like that it just misses the 'www'.

Love to see specially the new parts added every year, and comments about, what they represent, the new possibilities they bring on board to LEGO in general and to LEGO TECHNIC in particular *sweet* .

Edited December 20, 2007 by Conchas

[Blakbird]

Hi Eric,

just to let you know, that your Technicopedia http: address at your signature, doesn't work.

It looks like that it just misses the 'www'.

Thanks for letting me know. I have fixed the signature.